The Betting Startups Podcast

Ep. 189 features the three co-founders of Golden Camel, Artie, Ben, and Ryan, for a lively deep dive into building a sports-betting lifestyle app rooted in community, fun, and authenticity. Hear them discuss: How a series of career pivots led them to partner up on Golden Camel a number of years after the original idea was sparked Why Golden Camel rejects “beat the house” culture, instead leaning into fun and community - while also still providing utility  Why they see brand as a differentiator within the betting tools category, and how they plan to leverage that to acquire users The state of U.S. betting culture in 2025, the rise of prediction markets, and why they feel they're in the right place at the right time with Golden Camel Their go-to-market strategy in Arizona, and why authentic content + in-person community building is their biggest growth engine Why they think that Silicon Valley VC's have largely been absent from the sports betting industry, and how they see that evolving   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Golden Camel website ➡️ Artie Baxter on Linkedin ➡️ Ben Ramirez on Linkedin ➡️ Ryan Magrum on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 188 features James King, CEO & Co-Founder of Flows, for a deep dive into building a no-code automation platform powering some of the biggest operators in global gaming. Hear him discuss: His 16-year industry journey across iGB Affiliate, Clarion Events, and Gaming Innovation Group and how industry-wide tech frustration inspired the founding of Flows What Flows actually is: a no-code automation layer that ingests real-time data and lets teams build alerts, bonus engines, jackpots, omnichannel loyalty, and more all without developers How operators integrate Flows, the speed of deployment, and why its Zapier-like interface is built to handle billions of gaming events The company’s commercial model, recent traction, and major U.S. launches Why the U.S. remains the biggest long-term opportunity despite slow sales cycles, and how Flows is navigating sweeps, prediction markets, and regulated operators Why Flows sees itself as a tech company in gaming and how its technology can extend to fintech, retail, and other enterprise verticals The rationale behind choosing a strategic investment from Light & Wonder over traditional VC, and how the partnership has helped accelerate growth A candid look at the overloaded conference landscape, which events actually deliver ROI, and which ones startups should prioritize What’s coming in 2026, new products, AI-driven innovation tools, expanded U.S. growth, and deeper empowerment for teams to build and automate faster than ever   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Flows website ➡️ James King on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

This special episode features Seb Butterworth from Flutter and Dan O’Sullivan from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), for a deep dive into the future of horse racing — and how the sport is preparing to engage a new generation of fans.   Hear them discuss: The origins and findings of Project Beacon, and what the research reveals about younger and casual audiences Why horse welfare, race education, race day experience, and behind-the-scenes access are the four critical innovation themes How behind-the-scenes content can build emotional connection and improve understanding of horse welfare Why racing struggles with context and “the why” for non-core audiences — and how narrative and storytelling can change that Flutter’s approach to modernizing a tradition-rich sport while preserving what makes racing special How simplifying the race card (without removing complexity) can make the sport more accessible to newcomers The role of technology, wearables, and data in creating richer fan experiences and improving equine welfare Early signals from other sports and how innovations like ref-cam, jockey cam, and training-yard content could shape racing’s future Why digital platforms will be essential to reaching the next generation of fans Details of the Future of Racing startup program: application window, pitch event, evaluation criteria, and potential commercial opportunities Applications for the program are open until November 23, culminating in a Shark Tank style pitch at York Racecourse in February 2026. Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Daniel O'Sullivan on Linkedin ➡️ Sebastian Butterworth on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

The Gamble & The Glory showcases founders that built their companies into category leaders in the betting and gaming industry. In S2 E2, we speak with John Levy, founder and former CEO of theScore. John shares the remarkable 25+ year journey behind one of Canada’s most iconic sports media and betting brands from its roots in cable television to becoming a digital powerhouse and ultimately exiting for over $2 billion. Hear him discuss: The early days of Sportscope and how it evolved into theScore How selling the TV network unlocked theScore’s digital transformation Selling the media assets to bet the future of the company on digital media and technology Why Penn’s acquisition derailed early and what went wrong with the integration Lessons from scaling a family-run business and defining clear leadership roles His candid thoughts on ESPN BET, Barstool, Dave Portnoy, and partnership misalignment How theScore Bet could have continued to grow under an independent model The future of sports betting across AI, microbetting, and next-gen fan behavior How theScore was able to punch above its weight, and John's advice to startup founders on how to do the same Why authenticity, resilience, and focus define long-term winners What’s next for John Levy, and whether another venture is on the horizon For more of John's comments on the recent ESPN Bet news, check out his recent podcast with Steve McAllister on Gaming News Canada: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uocQx14rRzS92YF8wlnqC?si=ce3b2267cfad4a57 Video version of this episode can be viewed here. Learn more 👇 ➡️ theScore website ➡️ John Levy on Linkedin     The Gamble & The Glory is made possible by Segev LLP, a full solutions law firm purpose-built for the gaming and betting industry. To learn more, visit: www.segev.ca.

Ep. 187 features Jake Benzaquen, Co-Founder and CEO of ProphetX, for a deep dive into the company’s latest evolution from regulated exchange to sweepstakes model, to now filing with the CFTC to operate as a fully regulated marketplace for sports event contracts. Hear him discuss: The journey from launching in New Jersey as an OSB to building a national presence under the sweepstakes model Why ProphetX is now pivoting to the CFTC model and what it means for the future Lessons from scaling a sports betting exchange across multiple states How product validation and customer feedback shaped ProphetX’s direction Building an RFQ (Request for Quote) system for parlays, and why it’s a game-changer Why ProphetX will focus on sports-first markets, and why it's not launching with political or pop culture markets The two primary reasons why they decided to launch without an affiliated trading arm Competing with industry giants like Kalshi, Polymarket, and DraftKings through product innovation The growing cultural influence of prediction markets How distribution partnerships and B2B integrations will drive user acquisition Jake’s reflections on seven years of startup grit, team growth, and finding motivation for the next phase   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ ProphetX website ➡️ Jake Benzaquen on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 186 features Marek Suchar, Co-founder and Managing Director at Oddin.gg, a leading B2B provider of end-to-end esports betting solutions for global bookmakers.   Hear him discuss: His journey from nearly a decade in finance at Citibank to co-founding one of the industry’s fastest-growing esports betting platforms How an early pivot from B2C to B2B set Oddin.gg on the path to success Why esports audiences are fundamentally different, and how authenticity and community are key to engaging them The challenges of building a live in-play esports betting product, from latency to constantly evolving game metas How Oddin.gg differentiates itself with a one-stop-shop offering, including data feeds, odds models, risk management, simulators, and marketing support Why Oddin acquired a marketing agency to help partners connect with esports fans through influencers, teams, and content The company’s focus on profitability, M&A opportunities, and building a larger tech-driven group beyond esports betting What Marek sees as the next wave of growth for esports betting and why consolidation is accelerating across the sector Lessons learned transitioning from startup survival to scale-up leadership and the importance of process and structure as the team grows past 300 people   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Oddin.gg website ➡️ Marek Suchar on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 185 features Adam Rosenberg, co-founder of HandiGraphs, a betting analytics platform built by and for baseball fans.   Hear him discuss: His journey from political fundraising and brand strategy to PR and marketing in the sports betting industry How a friendship in the Outlier Discord led to co-founding HandiGraphs with CJ Buskey Why baseball’s intimidating data landscape inspired the creation of a simpler, more visual analytics tool How HandiGraphs identifies edges using proprietary plate appearance metrics (30/60/90 PA splits) Lessons learned from building a sticky, subscription-based product with near-zero churn Why education and “over-teaching” users became central to their go-to-market strategy Balancing side project and startup life — and what comes next for HandiGraphs in 2025 The role his podcast Dads Bet Baseball plays as both creative outlet and marketing engine Common mistakes early-stage founders make in PR and how to tell a clear, differentiated story Why Adam lives by the philosophy “Be helpful” — and how generosity and curiosity drive success in this industry   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Handigraphs website ➡️ Adam Rosenberg's socials   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 184 features Brian Birt, founder of Griddy, the fantasy football puzzle game bringing year-round engagement to sports fans.   Hear him discuss: His journey from childhood sports fanatic to building products at Sleeper and launching Griddy How Griddy turns fantasy football into a strategic, bite-sized mobile game playable 365 days a year Solving the seasonality problem in fantasy sports with an innovative “chemistry” team-building mechanic Why he intentionally built Griddy as a free-to-play game without real money components How a community-driven approach led to 30,000 users and 3M+ games played with zero ad spend The role of Reddit and storytelling in driving organic, founder-led growth Lessons from Sleeper: building trust and community before monetization Finding product–market fit through retention and user obsession, not growth hacks Getting early believers on the cap table, including Joel Simkins from XST Capital, and why he seeks to preserve optionality for future capital needs How psychological resilience and consistency fuel startup success What’s next for Griddy, from new game modes and rewards to expansion into other sports and fandoms     Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Girddy website  ➡️ Brian Birt on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 183 features Tom Lemke, founder of Savage Tech, the world's first true gamified retention engine for the iGaming industry. Hear him discuss: His review of the recent SBC Summit conference in Lisbon How his experience co-founding esports teams shaped his understanding of player engagement How avatars, achievements, and progression systems improve retention and customer loyalty Why being likeable is an underappreciated quality when it comes to B2B sales The importance of continuing to show up "on the circuit" at iGaming industry events and conferences Why he decided to retire from participating in industry startup pitch competitions Lessons learned from Adar Ziv, the self-proclaimed "Chief Linkedin Officer" His experience having just closed a seed round, and the importance of smart money over just money How Savage Tech is approaching localization for markets like Asia, Brazil, and Africa   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Savage Tech website  ➡️ Tom Lemke on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 182 features Pranav Tadikonda from Pikkit, which is a social sports betting tracker that automatically aggregates bets, analyzes performance, and connects users through community and content.   Hear him discuss: • Why he and co-founder Anthony Jonikas started Pikkit after learning big tech wasn't for them • The switch from fantasy to sports betting after PASPA’s repeal • How they validated the idea through real user frustrations with bet tracking • Their early decision to ban manual entry to ensure transparency • The infrastructure behind syncing 30+ sportsbooks through their in-house platform BookSync • His view on the explosion of tools in the betting category • The controversial Twitter API shutdown and their diplomatic response • Their decision not to commercialize BookSync as a B2B product for now • Their $9M fundraising journey across three rounds and now hitting cashflow positive   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Pikkit website  ➡️ Pranav Tadikonda on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 181 features Tony Ryan from Bet Caddy, which is building the ultimate sports remote to personalize and streamline the fragmented sports streaming experience.   Hear him discuss: • How betting and fantasy sports make every game moment meaningful for modern fans • The origin story of Bet Caddy, sparked by college sports bars and basement brainstorming • How Bet Caddy delivers a RedZone-style experience for every day of the sports calendar • Using real-time notifications to surface key betting moments before they happen on TV • Drawing inspiration from Spotify’s model to curb piracy through a superior experience • What they learned from their March Madness beta launch and how it shaped the product • Preparing for NFL and college football season with weekly product updates and improvements • How they racked up 25 million organic social views using short-form viral videos • Their monetization strategy combining sportsbook affiliate deals and streaming referrals • The reality of building a complex product as non-technical founders learning along the way • Why Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer became their first athlete investor   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Bet Caddy website  ➡️ Tony Ryan on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

The Gamble & The Glory showcases founders that built their companies into category leaders in the betting and gaming industry.   In Episode 1 of Season 2, we speak with Einar Knobel from TXODDS, recorded in person at the SBC Summit Americas Conference in Fort Lauderdale.   Hear him discuss: The early days of TXODDS and landing first customers like Betcris and World Sports Exchange How a scrappy, bootstrapped journey scaled into a 25-year industry leader powering global betting markets The rise of in-play betting, Asian liquidity, and the importance of clean, reliable data Lessons from scaling a global data business while keeping culture strong and team-oriented Why TXODDS continues to innovate, from streaming data to U.S. college sports coverage Advice to today’s founders on fundraising, monetization, and building for longevity Video version of this episode can be viewed here. Learn more 👇 ➡️ TXODDS website ➡️ Einar Knobe on Linkedin  If you’re at SBC Lisbon, be sure to drop by TXODDS’ Trev’s Bar in Hall 3 at C320 to say hello to Einar, Trevor and the TXODDS team!   The Gamble & The Glory is made possible by Segev LLP, a full solutions law firm purpose-built for the gaming and betting industry. To learn more, visit: www.segev.ca.

Ep. 180 features Zach Wick from BtrBet, which is a SaaS platform offering a white-labeled tool stack for sports betting creators to manage content, engage audiences, and monetize their communities.   Hear him discuss: • How legal sports betting in Ohio sparked his idea to build a personal betting tracker • The pain points of spreadsheets and the inspiration behind automating bet syncing and analysis • The evolution from a consumer app to a full-stack community tool for content creators • How BtrBet users are building engaged communities on their own branded domains • The business model built around tool subscriptions, with creators keeping 100% of their affiliate revenue • One creator’s story of hitting nearly $1,000 MRR within one week of launching on BtrBet • Key lessons from joining Stripe as employee ~250 and watching it grow to over 8,000 people • Why BtrBet is bootstrapped, and how they're nearing profitability solely through revenue • The challenges of running a lean two-person startup and what he wishes he knew before founding   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ BtrBet website  ➡️ Zach Wick on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 179 features Ryan Murphy of SharpSports and Vijay Dewan from Pine Sports, who sit down to talk through their recent merger to form the new Pine Sports, a full-stack sports data and AI company serving both bettors and B2B partners.   Hear them discuss: • The origin story and strategic rationale behind the Pine Sports and SharpSports merger • How mutual investor Chris Grove sparked the deal by introducing the two founders • How the merger combines SharpSports’ B2B infrastructure with Pine Sports’ consumer-facing AI tools • Why clean data pipelines are essential to powering jaXon, Pine’s chat-based betting assistant • What they've learned from launching LLMs into real betting workflows with jaXon • The future of “autonomous betting” and where they see chat interfaces playing a role • How they’ve integrated tech stacks and restructured roles across the combined team • Their strategy to scale both the SharpSports API and Pine Sports’ user base • How big‑name athlete Marshawn Lynch is backing the company, and how his endorsement is boosting Pine Sports' brand credibility • Trends in how casual and sharp bettors are adopting new tooling • Why they view betting tools as an underserved and high-growth category • How Ryan and Vijay split responsibilities and stay aligned post-merger Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Pine Sports website  ➡️ SharpSports website  ➡️ Vijay Dewan on Linkedin ➡️ Ryan Murphy on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 178 features Trent Hoerr from BullRush, which is a gamified platform offering multi-participant competitions using virtual currency with real cash prizes.   Hear him discuss: • His early days as a professional runner turned prop trader during the 2008 financial crisis • The legal and regulatory path to proving BullRush competitions as games of skill • Why he believes traders often overlap with sports bettors due to shared analytical skills • The significance of peer-to-peer competition and restoring the social side of betting • BullRush’s growth to 150,000 users across 170 countries since launching in 2023 • How he bootstrapped BullRush using profits from his previous startup • Their current NFL Survivor contest with a $100K prize pool • Why he believes BullRush can grow to 5M+ users as more bettors get limited by sportsbooks • The long-term convergence of financial trading and sports betting platforms   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ BullRush website  ➡️ Trent Hoerr on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 177 is the official First Pitch preview episode, where we will meet the 5 startups selected to present at SBC Summit on September 18 in Lisbon, Portugal.   Sue Schneider, Co-founder of Defy the Odds, shares her perspective of the upcoming event, highlighting the global nature of this year’s competition with finalists representing 5 different countries across 3 continents, the evolution of First Pitch, and the opportunities for all startups at the Summit.   In this episode, you will hear from the five finalists: AI Stats, Alexey Vorobey Betpass, Bruno Barroso ChatBet AI, Joshua Swerdlow LiveDuel, Will Martin Nandemo Draft Co., Keigo Namiki   SBC First Pitch brings together some of the most exciting startups within the betting and gaming industry to compete for a chance to win an exclusive prize package, valued at over €90,000 to assist in the winner’s development and growth plans.   The First Pitch event is hosted by BettingStartups.com's Jesse Learmonth. Judges for the event: Martin Collins from Soft2Bet Lloyd Danzig from Sharp Alpha Dee Maher from La Royale Group Mark Phillip from Metabet Andrew Reader from Velo Capital Partners   If you don't have a ticket for the event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for $300 off your pass. Grab your ticket here: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit/ticket-options/ -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 176 features Reid Rooney from Betsperts Group, which acquires and builds brands with loyal, engaged communities in fantasy sports, golf, and sports betting.   Hear him discuss: How Betsperts began by exploring crypto, cannabis, and sports betting before ultimately focusing on sports betting Applying a Stanley Black & Decker “multi-brand” mindset to execute a roll-up strategy in sports media How he was able to partner up with Matthew Berry and Paige Spiranac Mapping out a portfolio that includes 4for4, Dynasty League Football, Bleacher Nation, and Fantasy National Why a strong, engaged community is the non-negotiable of any acquisition target Avoiding quick changes after an acquisition to protect brand loyalty and customer retention Structuring deals with flexible mixes of cash, equity, and earnouts to align incentives Raising over eight figures in capital from top U.S. and international investors Managing founder burnout, embracing therapy, and making time to celebrate wins Short- and long-term growth ambitions, including positioning for iGaming in the U.S.   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Betsperts website  ➡️ Reid Rooney on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 175 features Rick Allec from OddsLogic, a classic odds screen platform delivering real-time betting data to both sportsbooks and bettors, built by one of the industry’s most experienced operators.   Hear him discuss: How he’s launched 3 data startups over 25+ years, including Sports Options and OddsLogic Why he merged Sports Options into Don Best after a decade of head-to-head competition The story behind Don Best’s acquisition by Scientific Games post-PASPA Why Rick left media/pick-selling behind to return to his first love: data How OddsLogic launched in late 2023 and now supports real-time screens and API feeds The planned rollout of player props and positive EV alerting ahead of NFL season Why Rick believes a usable interface is still the biggest differentiator in betting tools How he’s bootstrapped every company he’s built—and why he has no regrets What it’s like keeping the same core team together across 3 startups and 20+ years His take on the sports betting graveyard—and why “fun” still matters most in B2C His 5-year vision to power sportsbooks with real-time alerts, data tools, and risk profiling   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ OddsLogic website  ➡️ Rick Allec on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 174 features Evan Fisher from Sparket, which is a B2B platform helping operators reach new demographics through alternative betting markets and gamified slots. Hear him discuss: How he and co-founder Aaron built Sparket after work hours while still at Google and in finance Why Sparket is doubling down on alternative markets like pop culture and reality TV to attract underserved bettors New partnerships with Penn Entertainment and Wonder Nation, and what they signal about Sparket’s momentum Their soon-to-be-granted patent for AI-powered market creation, filed back in 2020 How Sparket raised ~$2.5M through angel investors while avoiding institutional capital (so far) What winning “Startup of the Year” at The Starties meant to him and why it felt different from other industry awards His honest take on the mental toll of founding a startup, and how he manages the grind Why gratitude, yoga, and stepping away from the screen help him stay sane while building How Sparket is preparing for NFL season with Swift-Kelce-themed contests and slot-credit tie-ins   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Sparket website  ➡️ Evan Fisher on Linkedin ➡️ Check out Evan's article here.   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 173 features Kenny Huang from TinyRex Games, which is building next-generation instant games at the intersection of social and iGaming.   Hear him discuss: How his experience at EA and Bluebat Games led to founding TinyRex Games during the pandemic Why TinyRex focuses on “original, edgy, cheeky” instant games beyond traditional slots How their catalog has grown from 3 to 12+ games in just the past year Why the crash game format has become so popular amongst players (and profitable for operators) Why TinyRex targets both crypto and traditional iGaming operators with its distribution strategy How aggregator partnerships complement direct operator integrations for better margins and branded exclusives Why he decided not to raise institutional capital to grow Tiny Rex, instead favoring revenue-led growth His lessons from the Bluebat acquisition, and why he’s prioritizing resilience and independence this time   Applications now open for SBC Summit First Pitch competition returning to Lisbon this September 16-18. Eligible startups can submit their applications until July 25 for a shot at over $100,000 worth of prizes.    Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ TinyRex Games website  ➡️ Kenny Huang on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.